Biography
Proud Midwesterners who grew up loving the sound of '70s rock, Rookie deliver their brand of classic rock and pop through a three-guitar attack. Wearing workman's coveralls during their high-energy live shows, the group serves up robust, hook-driven material whose pop leanings never dilute its rock edge, much like fellow Illinois natives Cheap Trick; a touch of Americana adds flavor to both elements. Before their self-titled debut album arrived in 2020 and carried their reputation across the country, Rookie had already built a following as a live act throughout the Midwest.
The group came together in 2017 when Chicago friends Joe Bordenaro and Max Loebman, who had frequently guested in each other's projects, decided to form a new band once their previous groups disbanded. Bordenaro had fronted the Late Bloomers, while Loebman had played with Yoko and the Oh No's and under his own name with Max Loebman & the Mild Ones. Shifting Bordenaro back to drums—his original instrument—and placing Loebman on guitar, they added guitarist and vocalist Dimitri Panoutsos plus bassist Kevin Decker. Taking the name Rookie, the quartet began performing regularly around Chicago while adopting matching mechanic's coveralls as their stage uniform. In 2018 the lineup issued two digital singles: "One Way Ticket" in April and "Let's Get It Right" in August.
December 2018 brought Rookie's first physical release, a 7" vinyl coupling "I Can't Have You But I Want You" with "The Move." By then the band had grown to include guitarist Chris Kulwin and keyboard players Elan Frankel and Steve Kostakes. Bloodshot Records, the noted Chicago roots-music imprint, signed the group in 2019, and the full-length album Rookie appeared in March 2020. The recording featured guitarists Loebman, Panoutsos, and Christopher Devlin, keyboardist Justin Bell, bassist Decker, and drummer Bordenaro.
The group came together in 2017 when Chicago friends Joe Bordenaro and Max Loebman, who had frequently guested in each other's projects, decided to form a new band once their previous groups disbanded. Bordenaro had fronted the Late Bloomers, while Loebman had played with Yoko and the Oh No's and under his own name with Max Loebman & the Mild Ones. Shifting Bordenaro back to drums—his original instrument—and placing Loebman on guitar, they added guitarist and vocalist Dimitri Panoutsos plus bassist Kevin Decker. Taking the name Rookie, the quartet began performing regularly around Chicago while adopting matching mechanic's coveralls as their stage uniform. In 2018 the lineup issued two digital singles: "One Way Ticket" in April and "Let's Get It Right" in August.
December 2018 brought Rookie's first physical release, a 7" vinyl coupling "I Can't Have You But I Want You" with "The Move." By then the band had grown to include guitarist Chris Kulwin and keyboard players Elan Frankel and Steve Kostakes. Bloodshot Records, the noted Chicago roots-music imprint, signed the group in 2019, and the full-length album Rookie appeared in March 2020. The recording featured guitarists Loebman, Panoutsos, and Christopher Devlin, keyboardist Justin Bell, bassist Decker, and drummer Bordenaro.